Extensible briefcases



Feb. 18, 1958 J. H. LITTMAN ET AL EXTENSIBLE BRIEFCASES Filed June 20, 1955 JOSEPH GUTHART ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O EXTENSIBLE BRIEFCASES Jacob H. Littman, Roslyn Heights, and Joseph Guthart, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Airbilt Leather Goods Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,626

2 Claims. (Cl. 150-1.6)

This invention relates to luggage, generally known as extensible briefcases. More particularly, the invention eals with a case of this type and kind employing, in the major portion of the interior of the case, lsheet aluminum walls and partitions to give stability to the walls and also to produce a case of lightweight construction.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a case of the character described, including an aluminum sheet bottom spreader' for maintaining the case in extended position, said spreader being movable into inoperative position in reducing the case to collapsed or thin state for shipment and other purposes.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a closed case made according to our invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, with the case in its open position.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3 3 of Fig 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Our improved case comprises front and rear substantially rectangular wall portions and 11, joined at the sides and bottom by foldable side wall portions, one of which is seen at 12 and a bottom wall portion 13. The sides and bottom wall portions have folds therein, as indicated at 14, for collapsing the case to bring the front and rear walls 10 and 11 into close proximity to each other while, at the same time, permitting extension of the walls into widespread relationship, as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The latter widespread relationship of the case may be regarded as a lilled state, although filling is not illustrated in the drawing.

It will appear that the side walls 12 extend inwardly onto the bottom of the case, one of these extensions being indicated at 12 in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and these extensions are stitched to the bottom wall 13, as seen at in Fig. 4. in other words, the bottom wall 13 terminates short of the ends of the case.

Arranged upon the inner surface of the walls lil and 11 are sheet metal facings 16 and 17, respectively, preferably made of sheet aluminum and these facings are stitched to the side walls 12 to form reinforced edges 18, one of these assemblages and stitchings being indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. lt will be understood that all four vertical edges of the front and rear walls will be of similar construction and it will be noted that the walls extend over and cover the metal facing 16, as indicated, for example, at 10' in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Similar edgings are provided at the lower edges of the walls 10 and 11 where they join the bottom wall 1.3, including the extension 12 and these nished edges are illustrated at 18 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The upper edges of the front and rear walls 10, 11,

ICC

as well as the side walls 12, have a covered hinged frame 19 stitched thereto, as indicated at 20. The angularity to the sides of the frame, as noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing, results in a slight curvature to the upper ends of the front and rear walls 10, when the case is in closed position. However, when fully extended, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the walls 10 and 11 are substantially straight. The stitching of the frame 19 to the side walls is notshown in detail, but is indicated at 2li in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Mounted in the folds 14 are front and rear sheet metal partitions 21 and 22, which are secured in position by stitchings, as indicated at 23 in Fig. 3 and Fig. 2 of the drawing.

A nishing or edging strip of leather or fabric is also preferably stitched to upper edges of the partitions 21 and 22, as indicated at 24 in Fig. 2 of the drawing. This will stiften these edges and also prevent the hands from coming into contact with sharp edges of the sheet metal or aluminum which is employed.

Also secured in one of the folds 14 is an anchor -portion 25 of a sheet metal bottom spreader 26 arranged between the partitions 21 and 22 and adapted to maintain these partitions in spaced relationship to each other, as indicated in Fig. 2. The spreader 26 is also preferably composed of aluminum and has a iinished free edge 24', similar to the edging 24, at the upper ends of the partitions 21 and 22.

When the case is in collapsed position, the spreader 26 is raised and extends along the partition 22, thus facilitating collapsing of the case in maintaining the case at a narrow state with a minimum amount of material arranged in the case and also in the packaging and shipment of the case.

It will also appear that the bottom wall 13 of the case, 'between the partitions 21 and 22, includes domes 27 for support of the case upon a surface, when the case is in extended position. The domes 27 are preferably staggered so as to collapse within the case and become invisible when the case is in closed unfilled position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Considering Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be seen that, arranged upon one side of the frame 19 are spaced pivot yokes 28 for pivotal support of a handle 29. For illustrative purposes, the yokes 28 may be said. to be on the side of the frame 19 arranged upon the front wall 1i). Secured to the opposed wall 11 is a closure strap 30, which extends over the top of the case between the yokes 28 and has a clasp 31 for engaging a lock 32 secured centrally of the wall 10, as with other devices of this type and kind.

It lwill be noted, from a consideration of Fig. 4 of the drawing, that the stitching 23, at the folds 14, terminate .short of the lower corners 33 of the side walls 12, thus leaving these corners free for expansion of the lower portion of the case. `In like manner, the stitching 23 of the lower fold 14 terminates short of the corner 33, as noted. This leaves the lower corners 34 of the partitions free or unstit-ched, one only of these corners being shown, namely one of the corners of the partition 22. The front and rear walls 10 and 11 are stitched to the edge portions of the sheets 16 and 17 throughout the entire border thereof, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

A briefcase of the character described, in addition to being extremely light in weight, also has the other distinctive advantage, namely in facilitating insertion and removal of papers and other articles, the metal walls providing non-frictional movement of the papers or arti cles in placing the same in and removing -the same from the case. Furthermore, the metal facings 16 and 17 serve to maintain the walls 10 and 11 of the case in 3 proper shape in the use of the case, thus maintaining a neat and finished appearance at all times.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A luggage case of the character described, comprising front, rear, side and bottom walls, means forming a closure at the upper portion of the case, means for reinforcing and supporting the front and rear walls of the case in extended position, and said means comprising sheet aluminum facings arranged upon the entire inner surfaces of said front and rear walls.

2. A luggage case of the character described, comprising front, rear, side and bottom walls, means forming a closure at the upper portion of the case, means for reinforcing and supporting the front and rear walls 15 2,474,003

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,121,343 Flax Dec. 15, 1914 1,430,267 Smith Sept. 26, 1922 2,047,914 Lifton July 14, 1936 2,249,905 Lifton July 22, 1941 Lifton June 21, 1949 

